Broes – Belgica (Self-released, 2025)
History and music have long shared an intimate relationship, with melodies often serving as vessels for memory, storytelling, and cultural transmission. In 1897, Belgian explorer Adrien de Gerlache led the first Belgian Antarctic expedition aboard Belgica, a refurbished Norwegian whaling ship. Departing from Antwerp, the vessel navigated treacherous waters, stopping at Madeira, Rio de Janeiro, and Montevideo before reaching the Arctic Peninsula. Trapped in Antarctic ice for 15 months, the crew endured isolation, freezing temperatures, and the darkness of the polar winter.
In the album Belgica, Broes embarks on a musical expedition with an intricate fusion of Belgian folk, Celtic vitality, and South American rhythmic influences. Indeed, Broes synthesizes these far-flung influences into a body of work that evokes the landscapes, hardships, and cultural exchanges inherent in the Belgica expedition itself. There is a kinship here between music and discovery, between improvisation and survival, qualities that are essential to the explorers of the past and to the artists forging new musical languages today.
At the core of Belgica lies the relationship between the past and the present. The traditional elements such as virtuosic accordion, acoustic guitar, mandolin, and the fluid, expressive fiddle are in constant interplay with contemporary folk-rock and jazz instrumentation, including intricate electric guitar lines, crystalline vibraphone, bass-driven propulsion, and dynamic drumming.
Track list and notes:
To the End of the World (Florian De Schepper)
On August 16, 1897, Belgica and its 23-member international crew departed Antwerp on a mission to explore Antarctica. Mechanical issues forced an early stop in Ostend, but the voyage soon resumed, launching an uncertain and historic adventure.
Flora (Gielis Cautaers)
Scientific discovery was central to the mission, with crew members collecting flora and fauna samples for study. This track, however, is dedicated to Flora, the drummer’s daughter.
Water Neem Me Mee (Anouk Sanczuk, lyrics by Mich Walschaerts)
A lyrical reflection on escapism, this song tells the story of someone yearning to leave behind a harsh life for the vast, open sea, a metaphor for freedom and reinvention.
De Orde van de Pinguïn (Florian De Schepper)
During the Antarctic winter, crew members suffered from illness and isolation. Seeking fresh food and adventure, Lecointe, Amundsen, and Cook ventured onto the ice, calling themselves “The Order of the Penguin.”
Yau – Guru (Zjef Van Steenbergen)
Belgica arrived in Montevideo on November 11, 1897, where de Gerlache recalled his early sailing days. Inspired by Uruguay’s candombe rhythms, this track pays tribute to the cultural encounters along the journey.
Dark & Stormy (Elke De Meester)
Life at sea was isolating, with language barriers and uncertainty adding to the challenge. This piece evokes the psychological toll of confinement aboard the ship.
Vuurland (Florian De Schepper)
Belgica’s final stop before Antarctica was Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego (Argentina). Since 2008, a statue of de Gerlache has stood there, overlooking the Beagle Channel, a nod to his pioneering expedition.
Nansen & Sverdrup (Anouk Sanczuk)
Two cats, Nansen and Sverdrup, were aboard Belgica. Sverdrup, plagued by seasickness, was thrown overboard. Nansen, a valuable rat-catcher and companion, perished in the polar winter.
Poolnacht (Elke De Meester)
Belgica became trapped in ice on February 28, 1898. When the sun set on May 17, it would not rise again until July 23, forcing the crew to endure months of total darkness and extreme cold.
Festa no Rio (Elke De Meester)
After two months at sea, Belgica arrived in Rio de Janeiro in 1897, where crew members mingled with Brazil’s culture. Some left the ship, while others awaited the arrival of an American doctor before continuing south.
Café den Arrivée (Elke De Meester)
The return home after years at sea must have been euphoric. This upbeat track imagines the surviving crew stepping ashore, momentarily forgetting the hardships of their odyssey.
Anouk Sanczuk on violin, mandolin; Elke De Meester on chromatic accordion; Florian De Schepper on acoustic and electric guitar; Zjef Van Steenbergen on bass; Gielis Cautaers on drums, percussion, vibraphone.
Guest: Mich Walschaerts on vocals.
Artwork by Leen Devyver
Buy Belgica.
Author: Tyler Bennet
